The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a transnational drug syndicate with links to Nigeria, the UK, Brazil, Australia, and the UAE, following a series of operations in Lagos and other parts of the country.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, operatives intercepted 76 cartons of textiles bound for Sydney, Australia, on August 26. A search uncovered 17.9kg of cocaine hidden in lace fabrics and wrapped with charms allegedly intended to evade detection. The shipment, valued at N5.3 billion, was traced to freight agent Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, whose arrest led to the capture of alleged cartel leader Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi in Ikeja on September 3.
A search of Ogunbiyi’s Lekki residence uncovered 21 parcels of Canadian Loud (10.9kg), a pump-action gun, and cartridges. Another raid on a packaging facility in Ikeja GRA led to the arrest of Shola Adegoke, a UK-deported ex-convict previously jailed for meth trafficking. From the premises, NDLEA recovered a Range Rover SUV and 9.6kg of Loud. Investigators identified the cartel’s overall ringleader as Adebisi Ademola Omoyele (a.k.a. Mr. Bee), said to be coordinating operations from Dubai.
In Rivers State, a joint NDLEA operation at Onne Port uncovered 160,200 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in a container of sanitary wares, valued at N1.1bn.
Other nationwide seizures during the week included:
24,480 tramadol pills from a Milan-bound passenger at MMIA.
625kg of cannabis in Lagos raids.
53.4kg of skunk in Kogi and 342kg in Niger State.
233kg of cannabis linked to an Edo suspect.
11,000 tramadol pills in Anambra.
7.5 hectares of cannabis farms (18,750kg) destroyed in Taraba.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) praised officers for the coordinated operations, describing them as proof of the agency’s dual strategy of enforcement and prevention.
“These operations demonstrate our commitment to dismantling drug cartels while sustaining advocacy through the War Against Drug Abuse campaign,” Marwa said, urging communities and institutions to support the anti-drug fight.
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